@CROguy_
@joshtCRO
@Rubendgrf
@stoykovallex1What counts as reviews
This collection covers star ratings and review counts, written reviews and testimonials, Trustpilot widgets, review snippets in bars and menus, and customer video reviews. Tests where reviews were one part of a larger redesign are included but flagged.
The answer first: win/loss record
30 wins, 2 losses and 1 flat result across 33 measured tests. Three more tests from Kasper Dolk are listed as winners without figures. Dave Diederen ran most of the measured tests, so the record leans toward one team's methods.
Where reviews were tested
Product page: stars near the title
Putting the rating directly above the product title won +8.14% conversion rate, and moving review stars above the title won +9.26% conversion rate (+$855,804/year). Making the rating static instead of anchor-scrolling to the reviews won +1.36% revenue per visitor.
Product page: written proof near the decision
Dave Diederen moved the review section directly below the above-the-fold area for +11.76% conversion rate. Oliver Kenyon added an objection-handling review block below the CTA on mobile for +$63,735/month.
Homepage
On the homepage, products came first. Putting best sellers above the fold and pushing reviews below won +21.75% conversion rate and +39.03% revenue per visitor.
Checkout and collection pages
Showing reviews on the checkout page won +17.96% conversion rate and +23.13% revenue per visitor. On collection pages, Oliver Kenyon's star ratings, best-seller tags and review snippets added +$7,280/month.
Biggest wins and their numbers
The largest percentage lifts came from multi-change redesigns, so do not credit reviews alone. Milos's product page redesign with testimonials and bundles reported +81% conversion rate, and Kasper Dolk's long-form landing page with featured reviews reported a 259.7% revenue increase.
Among cleaner single-change tests, Dave Diederen's swap from a Trustpilot logo to plain stars plus "Rated 4.8/5.0 by 50,000+ customers" won +7.8% conversion rate on a listicle. Kasper Dolk's testimonial vs no testimonial test won +7.22% profit per visitor at 94.4% probability.
Want results like this on your store?
Dave Diederen at Syntra Labs. Dave builds and tests Shopify stores at Syntra Labs, and shares most results in public.
Tests that lost or were flat
Adding small customer profile icons next to the star rating lost -3.84% revenue per visitor. Dave Diederen's reading: random faces add clutter, not credibility.
Replacing written reviews with only product videos lost -1.60% revenue per visitor. Video and written reviews do different jobs, so keep both.
Placing the rating above the title was flat on conversion rate in one test, even though two similar tests won. If trust is not the main objection, moving reviews will not fix it.
Design patterns that won
- Stars and review count right at the title, not linked away.
- One short written review above the fold, not a long block.
- Reviews placed under the CTA to answer objections.
- Plain stars with a customer count instead of a third-party logo.
- Reviews in checkout, where doubt peaks.
How to add or change reviews on Shopify
Most Shopify review apps add a star rating block and a review section you can move in the theme editor. Compare options in Loox vs Judge.me, and see checkout review tests for placement at the last step.
How to test it on your store
Write the hypothesis around one objection, for example: shoppers doubt the product works, so one written review above the fold will lift conversion rate. Use revenue per visitor as the main metric, because several tests here moved RPV without moving conversion rate.
Work out traffic needs with the sample size calculator before launching. Untested ideas worth queuing: Kasper Dolk's ratings broken into product-specific attributes, Milos's units sold instead of a low review count, and Josh Thompson's negative reviews shown with public replies.
Questions
Do product reviews increase conversions?
In 33 measured tests, 30 won, 2 lost and 1 was flat. Placement mattered most. Stars above the product title won +8.14% and +9.26% conversion rate in two of Dave Diederen's tests, while hiding long written reviews above the fold also won +13.36%.
Where should star ratings go on a product page?
Near the product title. Two tests putting stars above the title won, and making the rating static instead of anchor-scrolling won +1.36% revenue per visitor. One similar test was flat, so test it on your own page.
Should I show reviews at checkout?
Dave Diederen showed customer reviews on the checkout page and reported +17.96% conversion rate and +23.13% revenue per visitor.